Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-08-06
TO AvENGE HER HONOR.

SIlll SreaU excitement az RAWLINGS
Station over the murder ofScott Daw-
son. Henry Spencer was lodged in
Jail last evening, and to-day made the
following confession of the murder:
81 was born and raised in this county,
near Rawlings, and was twenty-six
years old the 18th of last October.
Rachel V. Dawson, only daughter of
Q. Dawson, of this county, and grew
up together. We were schoolmates,
and always fond of each other. When
] was eighteen and she sixteen years
old, Scott Dawson attempted to rape
her, beating and injuring her terribly.
He was sentenced to the penitentiary
for years, and served most of his time.
i swore would kill him for this deed;
but, as he was in the hands of the law,
and was not yet married to Rachel,
/ put it off, but always meant to get
even with Scott for his injury to my
sweetheart. I married Rachel on the
9th of December, 1882. We lived
first in Keyser, then moved to Raw
lings, where our only child was born.
This was in 1888. The boy died on
June IL, and his mother on July 20,
1884. Those losses nearly killed me.
was ill for long time at Rachel's
mothers house. In September, 1884,
secured a position as brakeman on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and
made my home at Martinsburg, where
Istayed until November, 1885. While
living in Martinsburg, was tried for
taking money from Lee Montgomery,
but was acquitted. After this / re-
turned to Rawlings, making my home
with Rachel's brother, Andy Dawson,
where l stayed till March of this year.
Then ! went to Rolandsyille, Cecil
county, Nd, to work on the farm of
B, f. Riley. / got on nicely there till
June Sd, when / went to Hollow
Fields, Howard county, and worked
on the Baltimore and Ohio Road, till
July 18th, when / paid a visit to Ro-
landsville, staying there till last Fri
day. On that day came to Rawlings
to have my revenge for Rachel's
wrongs. l went direct to my old
home at Andy Dawson's, one and a
half miles from where Scott lived, and
stayed at Andy's till Monday even
ing, when walked down to Rawlings
Station. I went back home the same
evening, and did not leave the house
again till three O'Clock yesterday even
ing, when
WENT OUT TO KILL SCOTT
and avenge Rachel. L walked slow.
ly, and 1t was about four o'clock when
l came to Scott's house. A woman
was cleaning an iron pot in the stream
at the side of the house. Scott was
standing at the window next to the
stream inside the house. i spoke to
both of them, as this was the first time
/ had see them since March. Scott
asked me how 1 was, and / told him
] was not feeling well, and that
/ wanted to talk to him. He came out
of the house, and we walked on towards
the road. did not want to shoot
him in sight of his wife. Scott and
/ talked quietly about anything till
we reached the road. I stopped in
front of him, and, looking him square
in the face, said:
"Scott, do you recollect the awful
crime that you served my wife? Why
did you do it, and what was your rea-
son ?''
"He replied, well, 1 don't know,
without it was the devil that made
me do it,
81 then said, Scott, that's my bust
ness here to-day, and / mean to kill
you before l leave you or die here
beside you.'
" He looked scared and condemned.
1 then drew my pistol and shot him
in the left breast. l was close to him,
and he fell backwards with a groan.
AS he attempted to get up / shot him
a second time in the face, and / think
HE SANK Rack DEAD.
81 then cried out aloud, IF any,
body will come here, / will tell why
| done it, No one came, SO walked
three hundred yards towards the sta
ton, but came back to make sure of
my revenge. saw no one near the
body, and, as he was stone dead, /
went on to the station to give myself
up to the proper authorities. When
Mr.. Houck came went with him
quietly, but l would never have been
taken alive by those d--eowards
about Rawlings. AS for Constable Bier
and that set, they were afraid to come
near me, but hid in the corn ON the
hill with their shotguns. never told
my wife or any one of my determine
ton to kill Dawson, but whenever she
complained of her head hurting her
where Scott hadn't herwith stones,m my
vengeance seemed to sweeten. I had
not been drinking enough to hurt me
yesterday, and had my sober and right
mind as ever had. While / regret
having to do this crime, / was com.
PEELED to it, and felt must have my
revenge before / died, and now / feel
better satisfied that it is over. It was
hard thing to do It," t
Scott and L never quarreled, /
knew would kill him some day. /
shot at the darkey down at the station
simply to scare him, but he had the
best nerve 1 ever saw, and didn't
finch. After the shooting / went into
Rawlings store, at the station, and
talked to the people there. I then
walked up and down the station plat
form. Sheriff Houck came while
was talking to Henry Sheppard, who
left me and walked over to Houck.
did not then know who Houek was.
Houck came up within fifty yards of
me and said: "Henry come here, /
want to talk toyou.' 1 told him ifhe
had anything to say to me to come and
say it."
Spencer will have a preliminary
hearing before Justice Harbaugh, and
has secured David w. Sloan, one of
our best criminal lawyers.
=
ITCH, NANCE and SCRATCHES of
every kind on human or animals cured